University honours kitchen king Heston

QUIRKY king of the kitchen Heston Blumenthal is set to swap his chef's hat and apron for cap and gown thanks to The University of Reading

.

The legendary chef from The Fat Duck in Bray - named the best restaurant in the world

earlier this year - will be awarded an honorary doctorate by the university.

The inventor of bacon and egg ice cream and snail porridge admits being overwhelmed by the honour and can't wait to pick up the accolade.

Unlike most chefs who stick to the stove, a large slice of Mr Blumenthal's work is done in the labs of the university's food science department at Whiteknights.

Professor Gordon Marshall, university vice chancellor, said: "Heston has a long-standing and fruitful relationship with our School of Food Biosciences.

"As it's the largest and most successful food science department in the UK we thought it highly appropriate to recognise the contribution that Heston has made to the promotion of food science."

The 39-year-old has conjured up bizarre sounding food such as sardines on toast sorbet and

mustard ice cream with red cabbage gazpacho.

Professor Donald Mottram from the School of Food Biosciences said Mr Blumenthal often helps students at the university. He said: "When you meet Heston what is so striking is his love of his subject - food and the underlying science.

"He seeks an understanding about the way the human responds to sensory stimuli. He is continually seeking new ways of introducing science into his restaurant."

Mr Blumenthal said: "When I was told about the honorary degree I was shellshocked which is an understatement. I said ‘thanks very much' and put the phone down. Then I sat there thinking ‘what does that mean?'

"Then I had to phone back. I didn't go to university myself, probably the closest I got was the student union bar!

"My head chef bet me two years ago that I would be Dr Blumenthal within three years and he won - now I have to take him to any restaurant he wants."

Mr Blumenthal is in the process of changing his à la carte menu to make it slightly more

traditional and he will then make his "tasting menu" even more experimental.

He said: "Our three Michelin stars are really important and we will strive to keep them. I don't think we will get best restaurant in the world again next year though."

VISITORS to the Fat Duck should take along an open mind and an empty stomach as this snippet of the menu shows, take your pick from:

Snail porridge

Roast foie gras

Sardine on toast sorbet

Salmon poached with liquorice

Smoked bacon and egg ice cream

Leather, oak and tobacco chocolates

The Fat Duck in Bray has three Michelin stars and was voted the World's Best Restaurant 2005 by Restaurant Magazine. A taster menu at the eatery will set you back £97.50-a-head.

THE world's greatest chef Heston Blumenthal started his working life as an office equipment salesman.

The now world famous gourmet then spent time working as a debt collector.

But the 39-year-old, who lives in Marlow, said he spent all that time learning about cooking and dreaming of opening his own restaurant.

He was born in Shepherd's Bush in 1966 and left school with a clutch of O-levels, an Art a-level and the burning desire to be king of his own eatery.

A week's work experience in Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons put him off working at such a high level so soon and he went away to earn the cash to strike out on his own.

By 1995 he had saved enough, with a little help from his parents, to buy a 450-year-old pub in Bray which he turned into the Fat Duck - despite a welcoming letter from Bray Parish Council telling him the name was not in keeping with the village image.

The restaurant won its first Michelin star in 1998, the second in 2001 and the third in 2004. To top it all this year the Fat Duck won the grand title of Best Restaurant in the World.